You may know already that social media is an extremely important part of a modern marketing mix. An effective social media campaign can definitely be the deciding factor in determining the long-term success of anything other than a small local business.

Don't allow yourself to be side-swiped, however. The SEO industry is full of flim-flam, with people trying to sell you all kinds of pointless and even detrimental services that you'd be better off without. Even Facebook's offer to promote your posts is not a very reliable way to actually promote your page because not all likes and shares are created equally. Some have real value and some don't. Too many "unqualified" likes can actually do more harm than good.

If people begin to suspect that your popularity is bogus, they may do a little digging. Once that starts, your reputation can be ripped to shreds in a matter of moments, and the worst part is that most people who are affected by this problem are innocent. It simply never occurs to them that Facebook is selling them something that is, shall we say, not immaculate.

The problem with buying likes and fans is that the people who actually fulfil their end of the bargain are not necessarily people who actually in a million years would have any reason to like you or your business, because they are so far removed from you. Just how many people in India and Vanuatu are going to be fans of a coffee shop in Iowa? Especially if hardly anybody from Iowa is endorsing you? You see where this is going?

Having 50,000 fans who are all from developing nations far removed from your place of business is not a valid endorsement. It's a clear indication that you've paid for your popularity, and that is something most people will look down upon.

It's a trap you can fall into by accident. Facebook is right there in your face actually recommending an action to you, so that you'll get more readers and more exposure, so you don't see any threat from it, and in fact, you may not even look into the details too closely. The first thing you know about any kind of problem is when people are being openly critical of you unethical promotional tactics. It's not something that's easy to explain away and while it may not sink you, it can certainly slow down your forward progress. Last time anyone checked, that's exactly the opposite aim of any kind of business promotion.

So be careful how you proceed with your promotional activities on social media. It is always best to earn every like and share you receive. How do you do that? Actually, it is very simple: Invest in quality content creation, provide genuine value for money to your customers, and provide great customer service. When you do those things, you get a natural promotion to the top, and it is one that is unassailable.